Fairfield American Little League Heads To Regionals

FAIRFIELD, CT — The Fairfield American Little League baseball team is on a roll, having recently won the state championship over East Lyme, and the local 12-year-olds will next represent Connecticut in Saturday's Little League World Series Regional Tournament.

Saturday's game is in Bristol, and if the team advances through the Metro Region (CT, New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island), it will head to the national Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

On Thursday, the 13-member team was celebrated with a send-off party at its practice field at Fairfield's Mill Hill School, attended by dozens of parents, siblings, friends and well-wishers, as the team prepares for Saturday's game against Rhode Island.

"This is special," head coach Matt Lawlor, told Patch. "I always say I'm going to cry when it's over, not from winning or losing, but because we'll be saying good-bye."

Lawlor and the coaching staff have been together for five seasons, and won a state championship a few years ago in a younger age bracket.

He said the team is confident heading into Saturday's game, but they are not taking anything for granted.

"We've worked really hard, and feel good about our chances, but we know this is a much tougher region this year," Lawlor said.

The last time Fairfield made it to Williamsport was in 2017, according to Fairfield American President Tyler Hathaway. Both Lawlor and Hathaway have sons on this year's team.

"These boys have been together for the last five years, and they are an incredible group of kids," Hathaway said.